Map of a Walk
I made Map of a Walk soon after learning how to weave during summer 2018. At the time, I was also hiking a lot near Santa Fe, and reading trail maps to try to figure out where I was and how far I was going. I found that the representation of distance on maps often seemed far removed from the reality of that distance—I had just learned about calculating the warp length necessary for a weaving project, and realized this could be a way to make a distance that seems abstract as just a number more tangible to me.
I wove and sewed together a dress for myself using 2 miles and 234 yards of linen thread. The dress was made for walking 2 miles and 234 yards while I wear it. The final width of the dress is approximately the length of my stride, and the process of weaving on a treadle loom mirrored walking, using my feet to raise and lower harnesses and send weft across. In fall 2018, I went on a 2 mile and 234 yard walk in Grinnell, IA on 8th Ave from one edge of the town to the other while wearing the dress.
